Look for a crowd of people Monday morning near Columbia’s busy I-70 and Lake of the Woods interchange, as state transportation officials and dignitaries hold a ribbon-cutting ceremony for the new bridge there.
The Missouri Department of Transportation (MoDOT) says the ceremony will begin at 10:30 Monday morning on the nearly finished St. Charles road bridge, which is at mile marker 131 near EquipmentShare. MoDOT hopes to open the new bridge by Friday (August 14), weather permitting.
The old bridge, which was built in 1957, was demolished in April. MoDOT says the old bridge did NOT provide enough space for six lanes of I-70 travel below. The new bridge features pedestrian crossings on both sides and enhances aesthetics.
State transportation officials will join Columbia and Boone County elected officials at Monday morning’s ceremony.
Missouri Highways and Transportation Commission chairman Warren Erdman, Boone County Presiding Commissioner Kip Kendrick and Columbia Mayor Pro Tem Jacque Sample will speak at the ceremony, as will MoDOT and Millstone Weber representatives.